Corker Flips The Script

A few months ago, SC GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham was among Trump's loudest critics.  Now he is firmly in Trump's corner, defending Trump on TV as his friend and golf buddy. Graham still believes Trump won't fire Robert Mueller and he's also currently ruling out joining the Trump administration in a cabinet position, but he's done a complete 180 since last year.

And now we see yet another Republican senator and now former Trump critic is doing the same thing, in this case, Tennessee's Bob Corker.

Sen. Bob Corker, who is traveling Monday on Air Force One with President Donald Trump, has repaired his relationship with the commander in chief after the two men exchanged fierce words in the fall, sources familiar with their discussions told CNN. 

The two have spoken several times since late last year, particularly as Corker was weighing whether to support the sweeping tax overhaul. Ultimately, Corker reversed his position and backed the tax bill -- and endured sharp criticism over what he said was erroneous reporting suggesting he backed the bill because of a provision that would enrich him financially. Corker complained about the news coverage to Trump, who deemed it "fake news," the sources said. 

Corker's moves to make amends with Trump reflect a calculation among many Senate Republicans: While they may complain about what they view as his erratic behavior, they will soothe over tense relations and look past previous disputes to get on his good side in order to influence him over key decisions. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul, two men who have exchanged bitter words with Trump in the past, have taken similar tacks, which seem to have worked with the transactional President. 

For Corker, who serves as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, fixing the Iran nuclear deal is a key priority -- one that will require the President's support. As they bonded over the tax bill and their complaints about the media, Corker has been working behind-the-scenes with senior administration officials -- including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and national security adviser H.R. McMaster -- to make changes to the Iran deal through new legislation in Congress, sources say.

Here's the thing though, Corker is retiring at the end of the year.  He announced that in September. So why is he suddenly being Trump's buddy?  In fact, so many Republicans are now heading for retirement despite controlling all three branches of government that the Blue Wave scenario is coming true through GOP attrition alone.

Unlike Lindsey Graham, I think Corker wants that Secretary of State job after Rex Tillerson leaves. Or maybe, like Graham, he's being blackmailed like many Republicans may be.

We'll see.  But all these GOP "never Trump" critics are suddenly coming around even as Mueller closes in.  These are not stupid people.  There's a "why" here and we need to find out what it is.